Improvement in clasps for hoop-locks



.TJHAN VE Y HOOP LOOK FOR UA SKS;

No. 43,495. Patented JulylZ, 1864;

NITED STATES PATENT rrIcE.

THOMAS HANVEY, OF ELMA, NEIV YORK.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,495, dated July 12, 1864.

1' 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs HANVEY, of the town of Elma,county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Malleable-Iron Clasp as a Fastening for llooden Hoops for Barrels and other Gasks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure I is a top plan view. Fig. II is an end view. Figs. III and IV are perspectives.

The nature of this invention relates to male ing a clasp of malleable iron, as an improved article of manufacture, which is particularly applicable as a fastening for Wooden hoops for barrels and other casks. This article is represented in different views by the letter A in each of the figures. It is made of cast mal leableized iron. The exterior form of the clasp has a longitudinal curvature corresponding to the circle of the barrel or cask on which it is to be used, as shown in Figs. I and II, so that it will fit nicely thereon. A mortise is made longitudinally through this clasp, through which the two ends of the hoop are inserted for fastening therein, which mortise has a corresponding curvature, as shown by the dotted lines a in Fig. I, and by the shading in Fig. II. The mortise is also made an eighth or sixteenth of an inch more or less) wider at the top than at the bottom, so that the form of the mortise will be adapted to receive and hold securely the two ends of a cut hoop when properly inserted therein. The internal dimensions of the mortise in one direction is equal to the width of the hoop intended to be used therein, and in the other direction equal to or a little more than twice the thickness of the hoop.'

The curvature of the-mortise will cause the strain upon the hoop to be a longitudinal pull with the grain of the wood, instead of a bite across the grain, which latter would be the case were the claspnot curved. The whole strength of the timber is thereby secured.

rel. These hoops may be out three or four I inches Wide, (more or less,) and when such wide hoops are used the clasp is correspondingly enlarged.

I claim As an improved article of manufacture, a

hoop-clasp made of malleable iron, substantially as herein described.

THOS. HANVEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. IV. \VALLAoE, M. B. Moons. 

